Antisiphon diverter valve assembly



Nov; 22, l1.966 P. cRAvlTs 3,286,721

l n ANTIsIPHoN DIVERTER VALVE AssEMBLY Filed Aug. a 9,63 l 2 sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 22, 1966 P. cRAvlTs ANTISIPHON DIVERTER VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. e, 1963 United States Patent() 3,286,721 ANTISIPHON DIVERTER VALVE ASSEMBLY Phillip Cravits, Burbank, Calif., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Croname, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 300,788 7 Claims. (Cl. 137-218) This invention relates to a valve assembly including a diverter valve whereby water from an inlet communieating with a pressurized pure water source may be dispensed through a pure water outlet or, alternatively, may be dispensed together with Ian additive through a second outlet. The invention is directed specifically to the problem of contamination of the pure water by backllow in the event a vacuum develops at the inlet.

While the invention is broadly applicable for its purpose, it has special utility in a device for installation at Ia kitchen sink wherein the device is capable of either dispensing pure water through a swing spout or dispensing water mixed with detergent through a fountain brush. Such a device has been selected for the present disclosure and will provide adequate guidance for those skilled in the art who may have occasion to apply the same principles to other specific purposes.

Various antisiphon arrangements have been incorporated in devices of this type. For example, one such device incorporating the usual diverter chamber is provided with means to vent one end of the diverter valve chamber to the atmosphere through the swing spout in the event that a vacuum develops in the water supply line. A serious disadvantage of such an arrangement Farises because a strainer or filtering element is commonly used on a swing spout, land the strainer may become so clogged as to interfere with the venting .action and thus prevent the breaking of a vacuum in the device. Another serious dr-awback arises because it has become increasingly common to connect portable dishwashers to swing spouts for dishwashing operations. In the event a vacuum develops in the water supply line, the contaminated water in the portable dishwasher may be siphoned back into the water supply.

It is apparent that direct venting to the atmosphere is required instead of venting through the swing spout, and various well-known venting or antisiphoning devices may be used for this purpose. The problem arises, however, of where to locate the vent to the atmosphere. There is not enough room to place the antisiphon device on the inlet side of the diverter valve unless the device is mounted in a conspicuous `and unsightly manner. On the other hand, an antisiphon device on the fountain brush side of the diverter valve would be cut off from the fresh water inlet when the diverter valve is in its normal position to direct the fresh water to the swing spout. Thus, if `a vent to the atmosphere is provided only for the fountain brush passage and the diverter valve member is in its normal position, the creation of a vacuurn in the supply line would be vented through the swing spout if the swing spout passage were open to the atmosphere, but would cause backflow of contaminated water if the swing spout were connected to a portable dishwasher.

The present invention meets -this problem by employing a single venting device for the fountain brush passage and by arranging for the diverter v-alve member to move automatically out of its normal position in response to the creation of subatmospheric pressure in the water supply line. Thus, whenever venting is required on theswing spout side of the diverter valve member, the diverter valve member is actuated automatically to place the fountain brush passage in communication with the inlet port and thus place the inlet port in communication with the 3,286,7Zl Patented Nov. 22, 1966 ice atmosphere through antisiphon means associated with the fountain brush passage. In effect, the invention makes the diverter valve member responsive to the creation of a vacuum at the inlet port.

The invention teaches that two provisions may be made to minimize the resistance to movement of the diverter valve member out of its normal limit position and thus enable the valve member to respond to a vacuum. One of these provisions is to substitute a relatively light spring for the relatively heavy spring that is usually employed to bias the diverter valve member to its normal position. The second provision is to reduce the frictional resistance to movement of the diverter valve member out of its normal position.

In a conventional diverter valve construction, a relatively heavy biasing spring must be employed because the diverter valve is mounted on a reciprocative rod that is constantly and tightly gripped by a sealing ring to prevent leakage along the rod. The present invention substitutes an annular sealing means which tightens automatically in response to water pressure for sealing effectiveness but nevertheless relaxes whenever the water pressure ceases. Thus, frictional resistance by the sealing means to movement of the diverter valve member out of its normal position for venting action is .automatically reduced to 4a minimum whenever a situation develops that requires vacuum-resposive venting movement by the diverter valve member.

The new concept, in effect, makes the diverte-r valve a part of the venting mechanism by making the diverter valve responsive to a vacuum or the inlet side of the diverter valve. If a vacuum develops in the supply line, the diverter valve responds automatically to place the supply line in communication with the atmosphere through the diverter valve and thus makes it impossible for contaminated water to be siphoned into the supply line from an automatic dishwashing machine that is coupled to the swing spout.

The features land advantages of the invention may be understood by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. l is a front elevational View of a device incorporating lthe presently preferred practice of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of structure inside the case of the device as seen along the dotted line 2-2 of FIG. 1, with parts broke-n away;

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary section taken along the' line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing how an anti- Siphon device is associated with the diverter valve and with the fountain brush passage;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to FIG. 3 showing a second position for the antisiphon means; and

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged section along the line 5 5 of FIG. 2 showing the construction of the diverter valve.

FIG. 1 shows a unit incorporating the preferred practice of the invention, the unit being adapted for incorporation in the plumbing at a kitchen sink. The unit provides the usual swing spout on the end of which an aer-ating strainer element 12 is mounted by a universal joint to swing in various directions. In addition, the unit provides a flexible tube 14 which carries a fountain brush 15 provided with a handle 16, the tube being connected to a supply of detergent (not shown) inside the unit. In a well-known manner the handle 16 is provided with a linger-operated valve (not shown) which in one position causes only water to be discharged through the fountain brush and in its alternate position causes water mixed with detergent to be supplied to the fountain brush.

The particular unit shown in FIG. l is a push-button type unit wherein push buttons control solenoid valves (not shown) for admitting cold water and hot water respectively to the unit from the domestic supply line. This particular unit has a small central knob 26 which may be depressed in the manner of a push button to divert the outflowing water from the swing spout 1t) to the fountain brush l5. The knob 18 is depressed against the resistance of a coil spring 22 (FIG. 5) and stays depressed as long as the water flow continues, the coil spring returning the knob to its normal forward position in response to cessation lof the water flow. The small knob is surrounded by a larger knob 24 which may be rotated to adjust the volume of water flow.

The plumbing of the unit is enclosed by a housing 25, and the various control components extend forward through the front wall of this housing. As shown in FIG. 2, the front wall -of the housing 25 conceals a diverter valve body 26 which is integral with two branch conduits, a right conduit 28 which receives water from the electrically actuated cold water valve and a left conduit 30 which receives water from the electrically actuated hot water valve. The two conduits 28 and 30 lead to an inlet port 32 that is shown in FIG. 5 and which communicates with a diverter valve 4chamber 34 in the diverter valve body 26. The diverter valve chamber 34 is largely formed by a sleeve 35 in the diverter valve body 26, the sleeve having a tubular extension 36 on which the previously mentioned adjustment knob 24 is mounted and secured by a setscrew 33. The sleeve 35 is provided with a radial port 40, and rotary adjustment of the sleeve by the knob 24 varies'the degree with which the radial port of the sleeve registers with the inlet port 32 and thereby regulates the rate at which water is supplied to the diverter valve chamber 34.

The diverter valve chamber 34 has a first radial outlet port 42 which opens into a circumferential groove 44 leading to an -outlet passage 45 that communicates with the fountain brush 15, and the diverter valve chamber has a second outlet port 46 at its rear end which communicates with the second outlet passage 48 that leads to the swing spout llt). The outlet passage 45 leads through a port Sti (FIG. 3) to an outlet passage 52 which is screw threaded for connection to the tube 14 tothe fountain brush.

The sleeve 35 is provided with an encompassing O-ring 54 to prevent leakage along the periphery of the sleeve between the inlet port 32 and the outlet port 42. The sleeve 35 is further provided with a second O-ring 55 which prevents leakage along the periphery of the sleeve from the outlet port 42 to the exterior of the device.

The previously mentioned control knob 20 for the diverter valve is mounted on a rod or valve stem 56 that slidingly extends through a bore 58 in an end wall 6th of the sleeve 35. For the purpose of preventing leakage of water along the rod 56 to the exterior of the device, an annular sealing means is provided having a thin-walled portion 62 of the configuration of a truncated cone and having an adjacent portion 64 of the configuration of an O-ring, the O-ring portion being seated in a circum ferential groove 65 in the axial bore 58. It is to be noted that the tapered conical portion 62 extends well into the interior of the diverter valve chamber 34 so that uid pressure in the diverter valve chamber compresses the conical portion radially inward into snug sealing fit against the axial rod 56.

The inner end of the axial rod or valve stem 56 carries a diverter valve member 66 which may be made of a suitable elastomer. At the first normal forward limit position of the diverter valve member 66 towards which it is urged by the coil spring 22, the diverter valve member abuts a valve seat 68 as shown in FIG. 5, so that all of the water received from the inlet port is directed through the diverter valve chamber 34 to the swing spout 1t) along the path of the arrow 70. At its second alternate rearward limit position, indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 5, he diverter valve member 66 abuts a second annular valve 4 seat 72 to cut olf the outlet port 46 and divert the water from the inlet port 32 to the radial outlet port 42 of the diverter valve chamber and the passages leading to the fountain brush l5.

An antisiphon device, generally designated 75, for venting the fountain brush passage to the atmosphere may be of the form depicted in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. In the construction shown, the upper wall '76 of the horizontal passage 45 is formed with a Vent port '73 which is in axial alignment with the lower port 50 and the downwardly extending passage 52. The vent port 73 is at the bottom of a vent chamber S0, the upper end of which is open to the atmosphere. As best shown in FIG. 3, the upper end of the vent chamber is provided with a screw-threaded bushing S2, which forms a flared port 84 to the atmosphere and which further forms an inwardly directed annular valve seat 85.

A vent valve member 86 made of suitable plastic material such as nylon is mounted in the vent chamber 80 for reciprocation therein and is formed with a guide stem S8 that loosely ts in the vent port 78 and protrudes into the horizontal passage 45. The vent valve member 86`is provided with an elastomeric ring 94! for sealing contact with the valve seat 85 when the vent valve member is in its uppermost position shown in FIG. 3. When the vent valve member 86 is free to respond to gravity, it takes the lower position shown in FIG. 4, where the lower end of the guide stem 88 seats in the port 50 and thus holds the body of the vent valve member above the bottom'of the vent chamber 80. With adequate clearance between the guide stem 83 and the surrounding vent port 78 and with adequate clearance between the vent valve member 86 and the surrounding wall of the vent chamber 80, it is apparent that any vacuum that may be created in the horizontal passage 45 will be promptly terminated by the flow of air from the atmosphere through thebushing 82, the vent chamber 80, and the vent port 78. It is apparent that the described vent valve is actually a check valve.

The manner in which the invention serves its purpose may he readily understood from the foregoing description. Normally the diverter valve member 68 is in its forward position shown in FlG. 5, at which it cuts off the first outlet p-ort 42 to the fountain brush and thus causes all of the water from the inlet port 32 to be diverted to the second outlet port 46 to the swing spout 10. If the diverter valve knob 20 is depressed against the resistance of the spring 22 while water is flowing through the diverter valve chamber to the swing spout, the diverter valve member 66 is shifted to its second position shown in dotted lines where it cuts off the second outlet port 46 and thus diverts all of the water from the inlet port 32 to the first radial outlet port 42 for flow to the fountain brush through the horizontal passage 45 and the port 50 to the downward passage 52 that connects with the hose 14. As long as water continues to flow from the fresh water inlet port 32 to the fountain brush, the pressure of the water in the diverter chamber against the diverter valve member 66 keeps the diverter valve member in its rearward position in opposition to the force exerted by the spring 22. When the flow of water through the diverter chamber to the fountain brush is terminated, however, the pressure in the diverter chamber drops to atmospheric pressure, and the spring 22 is then effective to return the diverter valve member 66 automatically to its forward position against the valve seat 68.

When no water is flowing through the horizontal passage 45 to the fountain brush, the vent valve member 86 is at its lower position shown in FIG. 4 with the guide stem 88 seating in the tapered entrance to the outlet port 50. As soon as water starts to flow to the fountain brush the displacement of air through the horizontal passage into the vent chamber 80 and through the horizontal passage 45 against the underside of the vent valve member 86 immediately lifts the vent valve member to its upper position shown in FIG. 3. It is important to note that the vent valve member 86 is lifted promptly and decisively because the guide stem 88 of the vent valve member initially closes the outlet port 50 to trap the confined air and thus restricts the path of the displaced air to the path through the vent chamber 80. Once the vent valve member 86 is moved upward to its closed position in this manner, it stays in that position because of the sustained fluid pressure against the underside of the valve member and against the bottom end of the guide stem 88.

If a vacuum is created in the domestic water supply system while either the cold water valve or the hot water valve of the unit is open and while the diverter valve member 66 is in its normal forward position shown in FIG. 5, the vacuum is promptly destroyed by the backfiow of air from the atmosphere through the swing spout if the discharge end of the swing spout is freely open to the atmosphere. In the event that the discharge end of the swing spout is not freely open to the atmosphere, for example, if the aerating strainer element 12 is clogged or if the swing spout is connected to an automatic dishwasher that is full of water, the subsequent vacuum in the diverter valve chamber 34 creates a pressure differential across the diverter valve member to cause the diverter valve member to be shifted out of its normal position in opposition to the resistance of the coil spring 22. The vacuumresponsive movement of the diverter valve member 66 out of its normal position places the inlet port 32 in communication with the atmosphere along a vent path that includes the diverter valve chamber 34, the first outlet port 42 of the diverter valve chamber, the horizontal passage 45, the vent port 7S, and the vent chamber 80. It is apparent that the prompt creation of this vent path to the atmosphere makes it impossible for a vacuum in the fresh water inlet to cause backflow of water either from the fountain brush vto the inlet or from the swing spout to the inlet.

A feature of the invention is that the described mode of vent operation is possible even when the pressure of the domestic water supply is relatively low. For example, the venting operation will occur even when the maximum pressure at the inlet port 32 is as low as approximately 5 p.s.i.

It is to be noted that the spring 22 must be heavy enough to overcome the resistance of the annular seal around the diverter valve stem 56. If the annular seal offers high frictional resistance to longitudinal movement of the diverter valve stem 56, the spring 22 must be strong` enough to overcome that resistance, but a spring that is relatively heavy will keep the diverter valve member 66 from moving out of its normal position in response to a vacuum. The coil spring 22 that is employed in the preferred practice of the invention exerts a force of only 2 ounces, and this force is readily overcome by a pressure differential across the diverter valve member 66 created by a vacuum in the inlet port 32.

From the foregoing discussion it is apparent that the annular sealing means around the diverter valve stem 56 must have sealing effectiveness over a wide range of water pressures and at the same time must create exceedingly little frictional resistance to movement of the diverter valve member when a vacuum is created in the inlet port 32. A feature of the invention in this regard is that the annular sealing means is responsive to the pressure differential between the diverter valve chamber 34 and the atmosphere. If the water pressure in the diverter valve chamber 34 is relatively high when the diverter valve member 66 is out of its normal position shown in FIG. 5, the water pressure in the diverter valve chamber presses radially inwardly against the thin-walled, conical portion 62 of the annular sealing means, and the higher the pressure in the diverter valve chamber relative to atmospheric pressure, the greater the sealing pressure of the thinwalled, conical portion 62 against the diverter valve stern 56. On the other hand, when the pressure differential is reversed by the creation of a vacuum in the diverter valve chamber 34, the conical portion 62 of the annular sealing means releases its grip on the diverter valve stem 56 and may even expand radially completely out of contact with the valve stem. Thus, the annular seal is, in effect, responsive to the creation of a vacuum in the diverter valve chamber so that a vacuum at the inlet port 5 32 not only causes the diverter valve member 66 to respond by movement out of its normal position, but also causes the annular seal to respond by relaxing its sealing grip on the diverter valve stem 56.

My description in specific detail of the selected embodiment of the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions, and other departures from my disclosure within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Antisiphon means in a device of the character described wherein the device has a diverter valve chamber, an inlet communicating with the chamber, a first outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a second outlet passage communicating with the chamber, and a diverter valve member in the chamber movable between a 2 first position closing the first outlet passage and a second position closing the second outlet passage, said antisiphon means comprising:

means to placethe first outlet passage in communication with the atmosphere in response to subatmospheric pressure in the first outlet passage; and

yielding means to urge the diverter valve member towards its first position, said yielding means being relatively weak to permit the diverter valve member to move away from its first position in response to subatmospheric pressure at the inlet thereby to place the inlet in communication with the first outlet passage.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the means to place the first outlet passage in communication with the atmosphere comprises:

a vent chamber having a vent port to the atmosphere and having a second port to the first outlet passage; and

a check valve member in the vent chamber, the check valve member being responsive to the pressure in the first outlet passage to close the vent port in response to superatmospheric pressure in the first outlet passage and to open the vent port in response to subatmospheric pressure in the first outlet passage.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said check valve member is movable upward against gravity from its open position to its closed position; and

in which the check valve member closes the first outlet passage downstream from the vent chamber at the lower closed position -of the check valve member whereby air displaced by initial water flow into the rst outlet passage is diverted to the vent chamber to lift the check valve member to its upper closed position.

4. Antisiphon means in a device of the character described wherein the device has a diverter valve chamber, yan inlet communicating with the chamber, a first outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a second outlet passage communicating with the chamber, and a diverter valve member in the chamber movable between la first position closing the first outlet passage and a second position closing the second outlet passage, the diverter valve member having an operating stem extending to the exterior of the device through an aperture in the device, said antisiphon means comprising:

65 means to place the first outlet passage in communication with the atmosphere in response to subatmospheric pressure in the first outlet passage;

yielding means urging the diverter valve member towards its first position, said yielding means being relatively weak to permit the diverter valve member to -move faway from its first position to place the inlet in communication with the first outlet passage in response to subatmospheric pressure at the inlet; and

sealing means embracing the stem of the diverter valve member to prevent leakage through the aperture, the sealing means being responsive to the pressure differential across the aperture to tighten against the stem when superatmospheric pressure exists on the inner side of the `aperture and to relaxV when subatmospheric pressure exists on the inner side of the aperture, thereby to minimize resistance bythe sealing means to movement of the valve stem when the diverter valve member responds to subatmospheric pressure at the inlet.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said sealing means includes a tapered exible `annulus of the configuration of a truncated `cone with the smaller end of the annulus directed axially inwardly of the aperture.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said tapered ilexible annui-us is integral with an O-ring element at the larger end of the annulus.

7. Antisiphon means in a device of the character described wherein the device has a diverter Valve chamber, an inlet communicating with t'ne chamber, -a rst outlet passage communicating with the chamber, a second outlet passage communicating with the chamber, and a ydiverter valve member in the chamber movable between a lirst position closing the rst outlet passage and a second position closing the second outlet passa-ge, the diverter valve" member having an operating stem extending to the exterior of the device through an aperture in the device, said antisiphon means comprising:

a vent chamber having a vent port tothe atmosphere and having a second port to 4the first outlet passage;

a check valve member in the vent chamber, the check valve member being responsive to the pressure in the rst outlet passage to close the vent port in response to superatmospheric pressure in the iirst outlet passage and to open the vent port in response to subatmospheric pressure in the rst outlet passage, the

t3 Icheck Valve member being movable upward against gravity from its open position to its closed position, the check valve member extending through said second port of the vent chamber into the rst outlet passage to close the iirst outlet passage downstream from the vent chamber at the lower closed position of the 'check valve member whereby air displaced by initial water ow into the rst outlet passage is diverted to the vent chamber to lift the check valve member to its upper closed position, yielding means urging the diverter valve member towards its first position, said yielding means bein-g relatively Weak to permit the diverter valve member to move away from its first posi-tion to place the inlet in communication with the rst outlet passage in response to subatmospheric pressure at the inlet; and sealing means embracing the stem of the diverter valve member to prevent leakage through the aperture, the sealing means being responsive to the pressure differential across the aperture to tighten about the stem when superatmospheric pressure exists on the inner side of the aperture and to relax when subatmospheric pressure exists on the inner side of the aperture, thereby toiminimize resistance by the sealing means to movement of the valve stem when the diverter valve member responds to subatmospheric pressure at the inlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,652,850 9/1953 Manville 137-61421 X 3,005,616 10/1961 Seele 1375218 X WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

ISADOR WEIL, Examiner.

D. LAMBERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. ANTISPHON MEANS IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED WHEREIN THE DEVICE HAS A DIVERTER VALVE CHAMBER, AN INLET COMMUNICATING WITH THE CHAMBER, A FIRST OUTLET PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE CHAMBER, A SECOND OUTLET PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE CHAMBER, AND A DIVERTER VALVE MEMBER IN THE CHAMBER MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION CLOSING THE FIRST OUTLET PASSAGE AND A SECOND POSITION CLOSING THE SECOND OUTLET PASSAGE, SAID ANTISIPHON MEANS COMPRISING: MEANS TO PLACE THE FIRST OUTLET PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE ATMOSPHERE IN RESPONSE TO SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IN THE FIRST OUTLET PASSAGE; AND YIELDING MEANS TO URGE THE DIVERTER VALVE MEMBER TOWARDS ITS FIRST POSITION, SAID YIELDING MEANS BEING RELATIVELY WEAK TO PERMIT THE DIVETER VALVE MEMBER TO MOVE AWAY FROM ITS FIRST POSITION IN RESPONSE TO SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AT THE INLET THEREBY TO PLACE THE INLET IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FIRST OUTLET PASSAGE. 